All NATO allies and, above all, Ukraine want the war to be over, but any decisions regarding their own territories should be made primarily by Kiev, the alliance’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, has said. He said this while commenting on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks that the US has set a condition that Ukraine must withdraw its troops from Donbass in order to receive US security guarantees, a Radio Liberty correspondent reports from Brussels.
“Ukraine also wants this war to end, but it has to be a long peace. And that means that once the war is over, we must ensure that Ukraine is sovereign and secure,” Rutte said.
Key, “vital” in this are Ukraine’s security guarantees, the top official emphasised.
“That is why it was so important that in Paris in January the United States and the coalition agreed on security guarantees. Because it prevents Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin from ever attacking Ukraine again after a prolonged ceasefire or, better yet, a full-fledged peace agreement. And of course, when it comes to territory, any decisions on territory are solely Ukraine’s decision,” Rutte summarised.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Reuters published on the evening of 25 March that the United States had set a condition for Ukraine to withdraw its troops from Donbas in order to receive US security guarantees.
He said the withdrawal would jeopardise the security of both Ukraine and Europe, as it would entail handing over the region’s well-fortified defensive positions to Russia. “I would very much like the US side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president also noted that the US is now focused on the conflict with Iran. “The Middle East certainly influences President Trump, and I think also his further steps. Unfortunately, in my opinion, President Trump unfortunately – still chooses the strategy of increasing pressure on the Ukrainian side,” – said Zelensky.
The White House has not yet commented on the Ukrainian president’s words.
Meanwhile, the Russian president’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev expressed satisfaction that Zelensky “finally understood that the USA will give security guarantees to Ukraine only if Ukraine leaves Donbas”. Zelensky’s comment “cannot but please,” Dmitriev said.
In January, the Ukrainian president said that Kiev’s position on the territories had not changed and that compromises should be mutual. He also added that bilateral security guarantees from the USA were ready “100 per cent” and Kiev was waiting for them to be signed. Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that he would not hand over the Ukrainian-controlled territories to Russian control.
In December, he said that the issue of possible territorial solutions should be decided by the people of Ukraine “in the format of elections or in the format of a referendum”. Putin’s aide Yuriy Ushakov, commenting on this statement, said that “the entire Donbass is Russian”.
Several rounds of trilateral meetings between Ukraine, the US and Russia on ending the war took place during January and February. No specific results were reported. However, as a result of the meeting on 5 February, the delegations reached an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war, the first in five months.
Another meeting, which was scheduled for early March in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, has been postponed indefinitely due to the escalating situation in the Middle East.
Despite US efforts to mediate an end to the war, Russia has shown no willingness to back down from its tough demands, which include Ukraine’s relinquishment of Donbass territories. The Kremlin continues to reject Western security guarantees for Ukraine and has signalled compliance with its maximalist goals in the war, ISW analysts noted earlier. Russian officials are signalling that Russia will not be satisfied with territorial concessions alone, the analysts said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is pushing for strong security guarantees from the United States and European allies to help protect it from future Russian aggression.
Rutte commented on Zelenskyy’s words about the conditions that the USA is putting forward to provide security guarantees